Finney Injury Law - July 2020

Finney Injury Law - July 2020

1600 S. BRENTWOOD BLVD., SUITE 220 • ST. LOUIS, MO 63144 // FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222 // JULY 2020

LIFE HAPPENS NOW — CHOOSE TO LOVE IT

T he picture on your right was not taken too long ago. It is of my third son, Sully, and my brother’s dog, Buddy. That is the gravel road that leads from my brother’s house to the creek on his property. The farm has been in my family for 40 years this year. It was owned by my grandpa, and then my brother bought it from my grandma. I used to frequent it as a little kid with my three brothers. These days, I frequent it as a dad with four sons. It almost seems like time has stopped: No indoor soccer. No baseball. No school. No summer camp. Nothing — yet. It has allowed, or maybe forced, us to do different things. My boys and I have been out to my brother’s farm more times in a month than the last five years combined. I took this picture as Sully was running with his best friend, Buddy. They both wanted to get to the creek as soon as possible. Life happens at the creek. I haven’t been able to stop staring at the picture. The joy, the freedom, and the moment Sully is in when I snapped it bring a lot of emotion to the surface for me. A lot of it is happiness, but some of it is sadness. I am so happy that one of my boys is experiencing what I experienced 30 years ago. Truth be told, they all are experiencing it, but I

didn’t get a photo of them in action like this. I hope Sully remembers this picture, this time, this joy, and this freedom for the rest of his life. I hope he can revisit this time and feeling whenever he wants to. I worry he will forget it. I know I frequently have done so in my lifetime so far. But I hope all my kids remember this place and time and never forget that feeling. Part of me is sad, though. I miss those times with my brothers and my grandpa. They will never happen again. I worry I didn’t fully recognize how lucky I was at the time. But how could a child understand that? Should I have come to the farm more often? Should I have cultivated this feeling more? I am sad because I know the answers to both of those questions is yes. I feel the bubble in my gut, just below my sternum. These questions swirl through my head and the joy and sadness switch places every second it seems. The more I look at that photo, and even now as I write this and look at it again, I am beginning to identify what I am really feeling. I believe it is love. After all, love encompasses both joy and sadness. I love that I can take the boys out there. I love the property. I love my kids. I love it all. I love the feelings the photo stirs up in me. It reminds me I am alive and

my life is happening. No matter the circumstances, we can choose to love what is happening because parts of this current life are incredibly amazing and may never happen again. We should choose to love them. I should choose to love them. I hope you all are safe and healthy these days. I hope we never forget our feelings. They are what make us human.

MAKE YOUR GAME NIGHTS EXTRA SPECIAL WITH A FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ROOM

Families around the world are finding new ways to spend time with each other, and their homes are changing accordingly. Whether your family members are video gamers, movie enthusiasts, or board game fans, everyone can benefit from having a dedicated entertainment room. Here are some tips for putting one together. USE YOUR SPACE WISELY. Consider the advantages and challenges of your available space. You don’t want small spaces to feel cramped, and you don’t want large spaces to feel empty. If your room is small, then design the space to serve multiple purposes, like installing a bar with a TV on the opposite wall. If your room is large, then why not have two or more TVs to let visitors play multiple games or watch different shows? A projector can also be used to maximize a room’s space. It allows you and your guests to utilize an entire wall without requiring much physical space. SET UP SURROUND SOUND. Whether you’re using your entertainment room for movies, music, video games, or all of the above, investing in high- quality speakers will pay off instantly. You can set them

up around the room for clearer, more immersive sound for movies and games, and by spacing out each speaker, you can eliminate cord clutter and tangle. SOUNDPROOF YOUR SPACE. Trying to impress your guests with great sound doesn’t mean that your entire neighborhood has to hear what you’re watching! Soundproofing not only helps shield your neighbors from action game explosions and booming movie scores, but it also improves the sound quality in the room. Thick curtains and carpets, wall-mounted foam panels, or freestanding acoustic panels work for basic soundproofing, but if you plan to utilize your space every day and night, then consider hiring a contractor to help estimate materials and cost for a more sophisticated soundproof space. HAVE GREAT LIGHTING. There’s nothing more inviting than a well-lit space, and this also applies to your entertainment room. Whether you’re playing a board game or putting together puzzles with the whole family, mood lighting can make the experience feel even more cozy and special. Try experimenting with different, stylish lamps or overhead fixtures to light up your space.

HOW CHANGING PRACTICES CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE THE FUTURE OF THE LAW

In the past, if you needed to work with a lawyer on a legal case, then all proceedings had to be done in person. Emails and phone calls have long been part of the process, but the really “important” moments needed to happen face to face. With the changes brought about by COVID-19, lawyers have been forced to adapt those traditional practices, and it’s opened up a world of exciting new possibilities when it comes to the practice of law. At Finney Injury Law, we’ve been in situations before that called for doing depositions via videoconferencing, so the concept isn’t entirely new to us. But as trial lawyers who spend a lot of time in court interacting with other people, it wasn’t a common practice. Now, with social distancing orders only just beginning to be lifted, law firms and courts have had to find ways to be innovative about pushing cases and trials forward. Ultimately, this has created systems for procedures that likely never would have come to fruition without the push of social restriction. And the reality most have discovered is that it’s not as challenging as some assumed it would be. In

fact, remote work and videoconferencing present incredible opportunities for everyone. When you can dial into court proceedings instead of having to travel to where they’re occurring, you have the ability to get more done. Across the country, courts are actually getting through their backlog of cases more quickly than ever before, simply because without travel time for everyone involved in the case, proceedings can occur with much more frequency. The same goes for our own office, and it’s something our clients should see as a benefit to their cases. Eliminating the need to travel provides extra time to focus on the work each case needs. Our systems of telecommunication have been a great experience for everyone involved, and we’re excited about the prospect of continuing these practices. The future of the law is changing, and we want you to embrace those changes with us. If you or a loved one has a personal injury case you’d like to discuss, then call our office so we can help.

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BY MAKING YOUR OWN SWEET TREAT! CELEBRATE NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY

Whether you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip or just plain vanilla, nothing cools you down on a hot summer day quite like ice cream. It’s only fitting then that National Ice Cream Day lands on July 19 — right in the middle of the hottest month in the U.S. Ice cream’s history stretches as far back as 500 B.C. when Middle Eastern royalty combined sweet flavors with ice for a cool treat. Ice cream made its way to North America in the 1700s, and it remained a dessert for the wealthy and famous for years. George Washington even spent $200 on ice cream throughout the summer of 1790. (That would be $5,611.20 in today’s dollars!) Thankfully, these days you don’t have to be rich to enjoy ice cream. In fact, you can even save money by making it yourself! Celebrate National Ice Cream

Day by creating this everyday treat using these tips.

MAKE IT HOW YOU WANT IT. You can flavor your ice cream however you’d like, but there are a few basic ingredients that are necessary for most batches: milk, sugar, gelatin, and eggs. Dairy-based products like milk are the most common foundation for ice cream. Sugar adds the sweet, scrumptious flavor we all love, and gelatin aids in thickening the mixture. The eggs happen to be one of the most important ingredients because they give ice cream its classic texture while reducing the rate at which it melts. This ensures your ice cream remains in near “mint” condition as you enjoy it.

YOUR REFERRALS MEAN THE WORLD TO US There is no greater compliment we can receive than a client telling a friend or loved one about us. If you know somebody who has been injured and needs an attorney who will fight on their behalf and give their case the attention it deserves, please pass along this newsletter and have them give us a call at 314-293-4222. Thank you for spreading the word about Finney Injury Law. For vegan ice cream, use agar powder instead of gelatin and eggs. For those looking to avoid sugar, honey is a naturally sweet substitute. GET TO WORK! You’ll need to heat your ingredients on the stove prior to churning and cooling your ice cream. An ice-cream churner is the easiest way to create a perfectly smooth texture, but if you’re looking for an activity to wear out the kids, then have them shake their own ice cream! Simply place all your ingredients in a small baggie, close it up, and place that baggie in a larger one with ice cubes. Shake firmly for at least 15 minutes for homemade creamy goodness.

Healthy Alternatives: Use bananas or almond milk for dairy-free ice cream.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FINNEY INJURY LAW SCHOLARSHIP

The Finney Injury Law Scholarship empowers underrepresented students in the legal profession to pursue their educational dreams. Cost, support, and guidance should never be barriers for talented and driven individuals seeking higher education, so our scholarship helps one deserving student break down those barriers. The $2,500 award can be used toward tuition, books, housing, or LSAT course reimbursement. To qualify, you must be a current high school senior or enrolled college or law student who is a member of an underrepresented minority group. There are several additional required qualifications for application, all of which are

listed on our application page at FinneyInjuryLaw.com/the-finney- injury-law-scholarship. All applications must be submitted via the above website by July 31, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. CDT. If you have any questions, please email Scholarship@ FinneyInjuryLaw.com. We can’t wait to help one great young mind reach for their dreams!

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OUR OFFICE IS NOW PRACTICING IN BOTH MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS!

1600 S. BRENTWOOD BLVD. SUITE 220 • ST. LOUIS, MO 63144

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FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Love the Time We’re In

Planning a Family Entertainment Room 2 2 3 3 4 SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS What the Future of Law May Look Like National Ice Cream Day Prompts Homemade Creations The Finney Injury Law Scholarship Support the Local Restaurants You Love

W e’re lucky to live in a city that has a variety of wonderful local restaurants to choose from when we’re hungry. But in order to help our food scene survive COVID-19, independent eateries need all the support they can get. Here are just a few wonderful places still open for delivery and takeout. ROBERTO’S TRATTORIA Located in Concord Plaza in south St. Louis, Roberto’s is a long-standing staple of fine Italian food in our city. Featured in St. Louis Magazine in mid-May after spending $10,000 to renovate in response to the pandemic, owner Roberto Zanti has done everything he can to try to stay afloat during difficult times. For 33 years, his restaurant has been the community's go-to for authentic Italian food, and they’re currently offering curbside pickup as they prepare to reopen for dine-in services. SALT + SMOKE A fast-rising star in the competitive world of St. Louis barbecue, Salt + Smoke has always been about giving back to their community and now needs a little extra support in return. They serve traditional and innovative

barbecue dishes to several areas of the city. They’re currently offering curbside pickup and delivery, and their website makes it easy to order delicious, shareable family meals at affordable prices. Salt + Smoke has also been providing meals for front line health care workers since March, and every dollar donated goes directly to that cause. MAC’S LOCAL EATS Touted as more than the simple burger joint it claims to be, Mac’s is dedicated to only using ingredients from local farms, making

everything from scratch, and finding ways to make burgers inherently more nutritious. They’re providing no-contact pickup service via their

drive-thru lane in front of their shop on Cherokee St. Their automatic 20% gratuity ensures they can continue purchasing ingredients from local farmers so they too can find ways to survive these unusual times. These are only three of hundreds of restaurants across our city still open for business that need your support to remain open. Let’s do what we can to help them out and indulge in a few delicious meals in the process.

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OUR OFFICE IS NOW PRACTICING IN BOTH MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS!